Jobs!

We at Thekla, Inc. are a small independent developer making games with tradition-breaking designs. We are pushing the boundaries of what a video game can be. Our current project is The Witness, a puzzle/exploration game designed by Jonathan Blow, designer/programmer of the critically-acclaimed Braid. Our office is in Berkeley, California, USA but we will consider remote work for the right candidates.

Senior Game Programmer (full-time)

Work with other excellent programmers to build technically-sophisticated games for a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and tablets. Work on systems-level infrastructure as well as gameplay code. You get a lot of freedom to approach problems the way you want to, and to employ your full range of technical creativity. Management overhead is minimal. There are many perks you won't find in other jobs.

Our code is mainly in C++. When it comes to building software, we have a no-nonsense approach.

You know, if I wasnt buried up to my neck in games related phd and various programming commitments Id jump at the chance to get involved. Ive been programming and producing digital art for most of my career (late thirties now, i know, old) and its not often opportunities come round for jobs that arent in mainstream dev shops and are actually interesting.

I could think of some ways an intern could do useful work, but it’s unclear… would have to be the right person! (Say, someone who already has played around with modding tools and the like). If anyone wants to apply for that, though, go ahead.

Is the above comment still valid? I don’t expect it, as it is very old now. I am asking mainly out of interest (and, of course, a tiny bit of hope). However, I don’t want to annoy anyone or act impolitely, so if this does, please, just don’t bother.
Greetings,
Antonius [I am not using my full name here, because I don’t want it to get indexed by Google]

I had to re-read your post a few times to understand why you have such a liberal *requirement* for your Senior Game Programmer. Sure you don’t want to spice that up?: “Linear algebra, multivariable calculus, rigid body Newtonian physics, SAT collision a must. Maya, Lua experience required. 15 year C++ experience minimum.”

Wishing you good luck with the search!
(Although, I have a hunch your network is abundantly capable of filling the positions.)

– Pritchard

PS:

Currently an SET student (VB.NET, C#, ASP.NET, Java, JavaScript and PHP). Wish I had a (formal) CS background! (ASM, C, C++, Python, Scheme, design patterns and programming models, discrete mathematics and graphs, algorithms, etc.) Of course, I’d be better off making games :)

In fact, it’s even more funny now that you made the encapsulation seem so obvious. If you need an explanation, think of all the people out there who think they’re “good at making games” and about how variable their skill sets will be.

If you don’t see a guy developing choppily animated flash games for his four-year-old nephew, bragging about his l33t h4xorz skills to all his friends, you’re missing out.

Perhaps they get the people they searching for with that phrasing. You know, all the ones paying too much significance to their achivements won’t bother.
And then we got people like me for instance. I know I would be a great game programmer at some point. Just need to indulge a little bit more in the crafts. I wouldn’t apply either. Because I don’t wanna waste anyones time.
Btw, if someone from the staff are reading this. When will the witness hit IOS?

Hello,
Though I cannot contribute to its design or programming, I support The Witness in full and I am unbelievably excited for its release. If the team is ever in need of music, however, I would be honored to compose for the game for free. I compose and perform music both professionally and as a passion, and I have, since childhood, deeply loved listening to and thinking about music for games. I have also written “alternate” music for some of my favorite games as well as music that I feel would fit in certain situations within games that do not yet exist. I don’t have experience with electronically designing sounds for games, but I’d be more than willing, in fact, overjoyed, to write some music that would accompany the game in some form once more gameplay is viewable online. Perhaps I could send a homemade recording of what music I’d like to hear once more of the game is revealed, and if the team enjoys at all what I’ve written, I would gladly morph the music to what the team is envisioning/write as much is needed. In short, if anything at all is needed with respect to music, I would honestly love nothing more than to assist this amazing project.

P.S.
I expect skepticism in response to this post, but if the team ever thinks it may need some music and would be willing to look into outside sources, I would immensely appreciate some notification and even perhaps a musical task (?) that the team is looking to accomplish that I could attempt to compose for. In any case, keep up the good work; I know I am not the only one who knows this will be an incredible game. :)

I don’t mean this as a criticism of you specifically, Jacob, but I’ve noticed that your particular field of expertise is very fast becoming flooded. It might not be long before you have no choice but to offer it for free because there’s just too many alternative artists hanging around.

I feel so bad, because I read a number of indie game development blogs and I have seen your post repeated time and time again by somebody wanting to do music.

I almost wonder if you’d stand out more saying your music is insanely expensive but worth it, rather than saying it’s free, just like thousands of other musicians wanting to break into videogames.

Sorry for the unwarranted advice, Jacob… I just truly feel for you, because I can tell you are serious and passionate about what you’re doing.

No, no – thank you for the advice. I agree with what you’ve said, but it’s hard for me to command an enormous sum for my work since I’m still a kid and have never been hired to make game music before, and it would be strange to me to ask for money when I’m doing something I love more than anything else. It’s interesting what you mentioned about standing out; I think the soundtrack to VVVVVV came about in a similar way, with the composer bragging about his braggable skills and charging a ton for them. For now, I’ll excitedly await The Witness and when it comes out, I’ll likely write my own “fanfiction-score” (whatever it would be called). Hopefully, the in-game music will be better than what I can come up with :)
In any case, thank you (to the whole team) for all your hard work; I can’t wait.

Sebastian, thanks for the honest and helpful reply!
Jacob, have you considered helping a starting team (ie: some team making small Android/iOS games) put nice music in their games? It would definitely be a nice way to start at this and learn a lot along the way :)
Good luck and have fun!

I would love to code in C++ and experience the fun…. contract or not it doesn’t matter. It’s the feeling of excitement in coding for fun and gaining more knowledge on C++ that I want to get. :D
Feeling ecstatic.

I teach special education in the Bronx and use games to foster relaxation and focus, and to supplement meditation. I’m very much on the same page as Jonathan Blow in many regards about gaming and hope that you might help me get in contact with him.

Acturally, I’m a architect. Just get M.arch2 degree in SCI-ARC. But I learn some java and python for design buildings. Like generate architecture from site image…. I fell i really like to making something people can interact with weather it real built-able or just illusion. When i play your games the witness. I really fell something hit me and I cant stop thinking. I dont know how hard to get into game design instead of architecture. My professor ask me about do I really like making games or just like play a games. I dont have an answer……. Now i’m working in a pretty good firm (aedas). well pay and not so busy. But every time i play the game i feel so unbelievable I cant stop thinking should i try it…. There are so many program language I really dont know how to start…. May I ask you for some advise. What will i need to become a real game designer? Sorry write so long and thx for your patient…..